On the Hunt
by Kirishtu
Summary: After Alterac Valley, Thana is spurred by thoughts of revenge. His image lies shattered. His enemies laugh at him. This time, Thanatoss has no intention of taking prisoners. This time, his enemies will pay the ultimate price. This time, it will be Thanatoss who walks away victorious.


On The Hunt (Or, Thanatoss' Revenge)

_Written to Lorde, Glory and Gore_

_There's a humming in the restless summer air,_

_And we're slipping off the course that we prepared_

Thanatoss slowly approached the large locked gate. His eyes roamed over the verdant field beyond, the dirt road stretching across to the hazy horizon. The orc warrior clenched his fists, the metal of his gauntlets creaking from the strain. Fresh in his mind was the last battle he'd gone into, where the tables had been turned on him and _he_ had been the one to end up violated, rather than the instigator. It had been weeks since then, and Thanatoss had searched high and low for his two enemies. Through battlegrounds awash with blood and through the peaceful countrysides of the continents, Thanatoss had searched. Not without luck, but each time he thought that he had them, they were gone like smoke. Revenge consumed his thoughts until he was focused on nothing else. He showed no mercy to any of his enemies; they all died in vicious sprays of blood.

_But in all chaos, there is calculation_

_Dropping glasses just to hear them break_

_You've been drinking like the world is gonna end_

"Thana?"

_(It didn't)_

The orc turned at the sound of the feminine voice. Standing behind him was a blonde blood elf, hair in boar's tails, giving her a look of youth that she shouldn't rightfully possess. Her green eyes cast over Thanatoss' helmed face. Unlike the warrior who was dressed head to toe in plate armor, she was dressed in a halter-top cloth dress. The only sign of armor she had on her were her shoulder-guards, the metal giving off a faint glow. Strapped to her back was a staff that could double as a mace, and gave off electrical sparks now and then. Suddenly something loomed up behind her. It spoke volumes about her that she didn't react as four swords came down around her, two on either side. The Shivarra let out a soft hiss and glowered at Thanatoss.

Warlock. That's what she was. And one part of his plan.

"What's up, Schio?"

The blood elf warlock waved her hand. "They're here, like you asked. Are you gonna come tell us your plan, or are we going in blind?"

Thanatoss smirked from behind his facemask. Only Schio would follow him blindly into chaos; only she would jump headfirst into a feeding frenzy of bloodthirsty Alliance. "No, this has to be precise."

"You're not gonna make us do something stupid, are you?"

"No."

"You're not lying, are you?"

"No."

Her eyes narrowed. She must've heard the slight hesitation in his voice. "Don't make me throw a chaos bolt in your face."

_Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (go figure)_

Thanatoss laughed, but he knew Schio's threat was very real. She was, after all, the reason why people ran for safety when she got mind-controlled. "Lead the way."

Schio led him away from the gate and through a crowd of Horde to three figures waiting just on the fringe of the larger group. Thanatoss recognized them immediately. There was Lylian, a Pandaren Holy Priest, standing beside Clouddreamer, a Tauren Restoration Druid. The third shape revealed itself to be Erayo, a Pandaren Mistweaver Monk. She gazed around her in awe, then quickly focused on Thanatoss and Schio as they approached.

Thanatoss removed his helm so he could look each one of his party members in the eye. "Do you all know why I've asked you to come to the Isle of Conquest?"

_It's clear that someone's gotta go_

_We mean it, but I promise we're not mean_

Clouddreamer shook his mane. "Schio gave us a head's up. I've always believed in the saying 'if it's red, it's dead', so I'm in."

"Same here." replied Lylian.

Erayo looked nervous but nodded her assent.

Thanatoss smiled. "We're here to hunt. That's why I asked you three to come. You're going to be our pocket healers. Cloud, I might need you to go kitty. You feel up to clawing faces off?"

"Always."

"I can go Shadow, if you need me to." Lylian said. She cracked her furry knuckles.

"Hopefully not," Thanatoss replied, "but noted. So. Here's my plan." He gathered them into a circle and began to talk. He spoke quickly, knowing time was short. When he finished, he looked for any sign of question or hesitation. He found none. "Mount up, and let's go."

They rode as a group to the gate, soon engulfed by a stream of warriors eager to begin the bloodshed. A shrill horn sounded and in the seconds after its peal faded, the gate slammed open, letting out the Horde.

_And they cry goes out (oh)_

_They lose their minds for us_

_And how it plays out (oh)_

_Now we're in the ring and we're coming for blood_

Ahead of them swarmed the Alliance army. As planned, Lylian and Clouddreamer veered off toward the cliffs where the airship dock was. Only, instead of capturing that place, the pair was focused on another task. Thanatoss, Schio, and Erayo sped foward along with a large group of Horde. The two waves of red and blue crashed together in flashes of steel and magic. And then the tang of blood filled the air as the two waves separated into small pockets, leaving the dead and dying in the center of the field. Thanatoss launched himself at a human mage. His blades tore through the man's chest as the orc landed. Schio was quick to follow, an arc of flame leaving her hands to scorch the face of a night elf hunter who had been drawing a bead on Thanatoss' back. Her Shivarra launched herself at the hunter's nightsaber, four swords skewering the cat right before its master's eyes.

_(Oh! Oh!)_

_You could try and take us (oh, oh)_

_But we're the gladiators (oh! oh!)_

Thanatoss whirled, his blade chewing a path through armor and flesh alike. Alongside him was Erayo, wrapping him in a fine green mist that healed his wounds seconds after he got them. A bestial roar sounded close by, and Thanatoss whirled to block a sword that would've cleaved his skull in two. A worgen glared down at him, fury in his eyes. A worgen, but not the one he wanted. He disengaged and quickly turned his left sword for a killing blow, while his right sword went wide for the bait of a strike. The worgen took it without thinking; Thanatoss' blade bit into the worgen's middle and cleaved out the other side as he ducked under the strike from his enemy.

_Everyone a rager (oh, oh)_

"Down, Thana!"

The orc warrior ducked as a chaos bolt flew right where his head had been. There was a sharp keen when the bolt landed and Thanatoss rolled away, finding the mangled form of a Draenei sprawled on the ground, her face eaten away by fel magic. Schio spun to avoid a rogue's knife, and let another chaos bolt fly, disintegrating the human's skull.

_But secretly they're saviors._

_Glory and gore go hand in hand_

_That's why we're making headlines (oh! oh!)_

_You could try and take us_

Schio joined Thanatoss and Erayo, her elegant hand lifting to point across the way. "That them?"

Thanatoss followed the line of her finger and felt indescribably rage begin to fill him up. Standing not too far away - and covered with blood and gore -were his enemies. And if Schio could see them, theyn they could see her, and Thanatoss too. Even from this distance, Thanatoss saw Dandrel's canine lips split into a feral grin.

_But victory's contagious._

"Go, Schio. You too, Erayo." Thanatoss quietly ordered.

The warlock arched her brow at him. "That's not part of the plan." she said.

"Get a head start." Thanatoss growled.

In response, Schio turned toward the worgen warrior and death knight and raised her hand. There was a flash of red and two chaos bolts sailed through the air. They struck their targets square in the chest, driving them both backwards. She gave Thanatoss an arch loock, and the orc wisely mounted his wolf and took off with Erayo.

Schio waited until both the warrior and death knight had recovered, then raised her hands to the sky. The atmosphere above the two worgen clouded, and they had mere seconds to dodge the infernal as it slammed down where they had once stood. Then she bolted, running as fast as she could toward the appointed place. The worgen warrior was on her before she crested the hill. She heard his sword coming in from the left and activated her Twilight Ward. Though the shield was meant to absorb shadow magic, she knew that the sight of a shield would make the warrior drop his guard in the minutes before his next attack. Her only worry was the death knight's strangulation move, so as she dodged the warrior, she triggered her Shadowfury.

_Delicate in every way but one_

_God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (the old way)_

_Chance is the only game I play with, baby_

_We let our battles choose us_

Schio spun, going low to avoid the runeblade swinging for her head. She slapped her open palm against dark armor, and there was an explosion against the worgen death knight's shin as the conflagrate spell ignited. As she gained her feet, she bolted up the hill. As she crested it with the two worgen right behind her, she couldn't help but cry, "The worgen are coming! The worgen are coming!" A laugh followed her words, as did twin snarls as Dandrel and Kestrel realized she was taunting them.

_And the cry goes out (oh oh)_

_They lose their minds for us_

_And how it plays out (oh oh)_

_Now we're in the ring and we're coming for blood_

Schio leapt clear of what would soon be a private battleground. The two worgen quickly followed, then immediately froze as the shadow tendrils and entangling roots snarled their paws. Dandrel's momentum sent him crashing to the ground, but Kestrel had more luck. The death knight leaned backwards, driving his runeblade into the ground to keep him upright. Not that he stayed that way - Thanatoss' sword took the runeblade and the hand wielding it clean off, sending Kestrel to the ground in a spray of ichorous blood.

_Oh! Oh!_

_You could try and take us (oh oh)_

_But we're the gladiators (oh! oh!)_

_Everyone a rager (oh oh)_

_But secretly they're saviors_

Thanatoss crossed into the worgen's line of sight, his helmet off so they knew exactly who he was. He held both swords in tight fists. "Hello again." he growled.

"Well, this is a little elaborate don't you think?" said Kestrel. The death knight was eyeing Schio, Lylian, Clouddreamer, and Erayo, who had all gathered at a distance that would keep them relatively safe.

_Glory and gore hand in hand_

_That's why we're making headlines (oh! oh!)_

_You could try and take us_

"I promise," began Thanatoss, "you won't be around to make it eight on four."

Kestrel's lips quirked.

_But victory's contagious_

Thanatoss' steel plated boot cracked into Kestrel's jaw. A portion of the worgen death knight's tongue hit the ground, and Kestrel howled with pain. Dandrel's struggles renewed, but he was firmly held in place, so all he could do was snarl and curse at the orc warrior. Thanatoss considered breaking from his own plan, but then that was one thing he wasn't going to do. Sure, he'd had help to set this up - in that, they were even - but now Thanatoss' true plan would come to fruition. Now he would fight his enemies one on one, and he would show each of them that he wasn't an orc to be dealt with carelessly.

A sharp gesture told Clouddreamer and Lylian to loosen the vines and tendrels that held Kestrel. The death knight struggled to his paws, spitting out the ichor-blood that filled his mouth. His glowing blue eyes regarded Thanatoss carefully, studying him with a level of respect that he hadn't given the orc warrior before. He swung his runeblade into position, and without warning launched himself at Thanatoss. Thanatoss blocked the downward strike with his left sword, angling down so the runeblade slid off his weapon in a shower of sparks. With his right blade, Thanatoss cut across Kestrel's chest, causing another shower of sparks as Kestrel recovered faster than expected and got his runeblade between them. Thanatoss spun left, leading with his left sword and forcing Kestrel to retreat or get his legs chopped off. The death knight retaliated quickly, launching a series of hard strikes that forced Thanatoss to both black and evade the strikes. Each time one hit, though, he could feel his strength leeching out of his body. He stumbled and Kestrel pounced on the opening, managing to score Thanatoss' chest plate. Thanatoss fell backwards and rolled to his feet, panting harshly.

"Thana!"

"Stay out of this!" He roared back at his friends.

_No one round here's good at keeping their eyes closed._

_The sun's starting to light up when we're walking home_

_Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises_

_We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death_

_It's alright if you do, it's fine_

Thanatoss attacked, cutting left and right with both blades and forcing Kestrel to retreat. The death knight wore a grimace on his furry face, hard-pressed to meet two swords with his one. Thanatoss kept attacking, feet kicking up dust as he spun low and to the right. Kestrel leaped over the sweep to his ankles - and realized his mistake too late. Thanatoss' spin took him all the way around and as he did, he rose up so his left blade bit into Kestrel's middle, slicing through black plate armor into flesh. Thanatoss' momentum pushed the left blade nearly completely through Kestrel's middle, then out the other side, leaving the worgen's top half connected to his bottom half by a thread's worth of flesh and muscle.

A roar sounded behind Thanatoss and instinct alone had him swinging his right sword behind him. His arm still vibrated from the force of Dandrel's blow and nearly made him lose his balance. Thanatoss twisted away from the worgen warrior and was forced into a retreat as Dandrel came on with a flurry of blows. In his peripheral, Thanatoss saw Kestrel struggling to put grey guts back into the cavity of his stomach. Gritting his teeth, Thanatoss knew it would only be a matter of time before it was two on one.

_We gladiate but I guess we're really fighting ourselves_

_Roughing up our minds so we're ready when the kill time comes_

Sparks flew as Thanatoss met Dandrel blow for blow. The orc warrior sidestepped a downward slash and responded with a horizontal one, scoring a minor scrape on Dandrel's thigh. The worgen snarled and swung at Thanatoss' head with berserker strength. Though Thanatoss managed to block the blow, the force of it sent the flats of his own crossed blades back into his own face. He collapsed almost immediately, his head ringing. Dandrel gave him no respite, swinging his sword toward Thanatoss' throat.

_Wide awake in bed, words in my brain_

_"Secretly you love this, do you even wanna go free?"_

Thanatoss fell flat on his back to avoid the strike and rolled a second before a Death and Decay circle appeared under him. Panting, the orc faced the two worgen, warrior and death knight. He drew himself up and bellowed his challenge. Dandrel and Kestrel responded with howls of their own.

_Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means_

They charged each other.

Thanatoss struck first, his left blade aiming for Kestrel's midriff wound, his right sword sparking against Dandrels own sword.

They traded blows, the three dancing around each other in showers of sparks and sound. Thanatoss opened gaping wounds on Dandrel's thighs and biceps, but was unable to touch the worgen's chest or throat, and inflicted similar harm on Kestrel. But the two worgen seemed to be only defending, having an unspoken plan between themselves. Sweat dripped down Thanatoss' face, stinging the cuts he'd gotten from his facemask. Knowing he had to switch tack, Thanatoss disengaged from his enemies and assumed a defensive position.

_(Oh! Oh!)_

_You could try and take us (oh! oh!)_

_But we're the gladiators (oh! oh!)_

Dandrel charged him with a heroic leap, landing right in front of Thanatoss and entering into a bladefury spin that forced Thanatoss backwards. He didn't get far - icy chains suddenly gripped his legs and his knees buckled. He hit the ground hard enough to lose his grip on his right hand sword. Before he could recover it, Dandrel stabbed downward, an attack Thanatoss was forced to block with his left sword. Dandrel caught Thanatoss' sword with his and spun his weapon like a wriggling snake, flinging his arm out at the end of it. Thanatoss' left sword went flying. Dandrel lifted his sword in a double-handed grip, the point of the balde aimed for Thanatoss' heart.

_Everyone a rager (oh! oh!)_

_But secretly they're saviors_

Clouddreamer's two hundred pound feline form - pure muscle and feral fury - crashed into Dandrel paws and sharp claws first. The Tauren's momentum shoved Dandrel down and onto his back, where Clouddreamer's roar deafened the worgen warrior, and sharp cat claws opened furrows in that canine maw.

Thanatoss rolled to his feet and retrieved his sword in time to stop Kestrel from skewering the Tauren druid. Clouddreamer leaped off Dandrel and padded around Thanatoss, snarling. Dandrel writhed on the ground, howling. Blood pulsed between his fingers. Kestrel roared in Thanatoss' face, so Thanatoss punched him in the sound hard enough to snap his head back.

_Glory and gore go hand in hand_

_That's why we're making headlines (oh! oh!)_

_You could try and take us_

Thanatoss came on, pushing Kestrel backwards with hard and heavy blows. Kestrel's back hit the trunk of a tree and in the seconds it took the death knight to realize he had nowhere to go, Thanatoss' left sword tore a hole in the worgen's chest plate. The hilt stopped flush against the black metal, unable to go any further. On instinct Thanatoss turned and thrust out behind him with his right sword. Dandrel stared at the hilt of the sword that was pressed against his chest, then slowly looked at Thanatoss. The orc warrior lifted a plate boot and set it against Dandrel's groin. With a hard kick he sent the worgen flying, his blade leaving the other warrior's body with a wet _schlurp_-ing sound. As Dandrel hit the ground Thanatoss turned his attention to Kestrel. He lifted the same boot and put the flat of his foot against the tree. He struggled for a moment to free the sword from both the tree trunk and death knight, finally succeeding. He waited long minutes, but neither of his enemies started to rise.

"Thana?"

The orc slowly turned to face Schio and the others. There was a measure of respect in their eyes; Schio, Lylian, and Clouddreamer looked on with approval.

"You okay?" Clouddreamer asked.

"Yeah." Thanatoss replied.

"Feel better?" Schio asked.

Thanatoss hesitated. Then he said, "Yeah."

"Wanna do another battleground?"

Thanatoss cocked his head and listened. It sounded like the Alliance was well on its way to dominating the Isle of Conquest. "Yeah." he finally answered. "Why not."

_But victory's contagious._


End file.
